beigefügt

Beigefügt is the past participle of the German verb beifügen, meaning to attach or enclose something with a document, letter, or message. In practice, it signals that additional material accompanies the correspondence, such as files, forms, or reports.

Etymology and form: Beifügen is formed from be- (a prefix used to form transitive verbs) and fügen (to join, add). The participle beigefügt literally means “joined to” or “attached.” It can be used predicatively (as a verb form in a sentence) or attributively (as an adjective modifying a noun). In attributive use, the form changes to the passende gender and number, e.g., die beigefügten Unterlagen.

Usage: In formal German, beigefügt is commonly used to indicate attachments in letters or emails, often at the outset: “Beigefügt finden Sie die Unterlagen.” It also appears as a preceding adjective: “die beigefügten Unterlagen” or “die beigefügten Dateien.” In everyday or digital communication, alternatives like anbei or im Anhang are frequently used. Beigefügt emphasizes that something has been added to the correspondence, rather than being part of the main text.

See also: Anhang, Beilage, Anhangsverzeichnis, beifügen.

References: Language references such as Duden and other German dictionaries describe beifügen and its participle beigefügt, noting its common administrative and formal use in correspondence.